4. Preparing the Shiva home:

A. Low stools and chairs:

The mourners are required to sit on low stools throughout the Shiva, as explained in Chapter 19 Halacha 2. One is to thus arrange for low stools or crates to be brought to the Shiva home for the sake of the mourners, and for regular chairs to be brought for the sake of the visitors.

B. Preparing Yarmulkes; Siddurim; Tehillim; Mishnayos:

The Shiva home should be prepared with Yarmulkas, Tallis and Tefillin, Siddurim, a Tzedaka Pushka, and books of Tehillim.

C. Prepare copy of Hamakom Yinachem:

One should prepare a copy of the traditional parting message of comforters known as “Hamakom Yinachem” for visitors to recite upon exiting.

D. Sefer Torah:

It is customary to bring a Sefer Torah to the Shiva home, and read from the Torah during the days of Torah reading that occur during the Shiva [Mondays, Thursday’s, Rosh Chodesh, Chanukah etc]. See Chapter 18 Halacha 5 for the full details of this subject!

E. Women’s section:[1]

The Shiva home should contain a women’s area that is sectioned off for the female mourners to be comforted by other women. One can place a Mechitza in the room, or simply have different sections of the house for the men and women.

F. Babies in a Shiva home?

If possible, one is to try to avoid bringing babies into the Shiva home.  See Chapter 19 Halacha 16C for the full details of this subject!

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[1] Nitei Gavriel 85:8 footnote 10